


CLIMB

by chaekmate (usernamewhatamidoing)



Series: Inktober [19]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 18:31:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13013682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/usernamewhatamidoing/pseuds/chaekmate
Summary: It was right on her way down, so why not stop and brighten her day?Or: Nayeon frustrates her co-worker at the expense of a cute patient.





	CLIMB

“Ugh, it’s so hot out. Do you have any water on you?”

Nayeon pushed off the window to wipe the sweat from her own brow before locating her abandoned water bottle. Shaking it slightly next to her ear, she frowned and tossed the object towards her friend. “All out. Sorry."

“But I’m melting Nayeon, please.” Dahyun whined, swaying her body back and forth. 

“Huh, you know, I actually think I do have some water.” 

“Really! That’s-“ 

But before Dahyun could make her way over, Nayeon was scooping water out of her bucket with her hands and splashing the other square in the face. 

“Nayeon!” Dahyun hissed, furiously wiping at the suds that clung to her face. “Stop fooling around, it’s dangerous up here.”

“Oh come on,” Nayeon rolled her eyes and smirked as she gently pushed a hand against the window making them sway slightly. “the platform is very secure. I should know, I’m the one that rigged it up.” 

“Don’t do that!” 

Dahyun was clinging to the railing with her eyes clenched shut tightly as possible, and it was only when Nayeon saw how unusually white the other had become did she relent and steady them again. “Come on, I’m just joking around. See? We’re fine, totally safe.”

“I’ll agree with you when we’re back on solid ground.” Dahyun whimpered out, taking slow breaths to calm herself down. 

“Well, the faster we finish these windows, the sooner were can go home. It’s only a couple more floors, and then we can come back tomorrow to finish the rest, okay?”

“O-okay.” 

(She didn’t really understand why Dahyun had approached her for a job in the first place. The girl seemed terrified of heights, though, when she wasn’t busy assuring herself everything was okay, she supposed they weren’t that bad. 

And with it only being her third week on the job, Nayeon had actually started to really take a shine to the girl.)

That day in particular they were working on a hospital- a large high-rise that was practically all glass with only some steel holding everything together. 

Normally she wouldn’t be so apt to rush through something like this, but with the recent sweltering temperatures and the glare from the sun off the glass, she was slightly more on edge as she began sweating through the t-shirt she wore. 

Tugging the cap lower over her eyes, Nayeon added more soap to her bucket and grabbed a rag before beginning to wipe down the large window in front of her. 

"Are you busy tonight?" She asked, trying to get them back into a steady rhythm.

"Mm, not really. Momo and I were planning on ordering in tonight." 

"That sounds nice." 

"Yeah, what about you? Doing anything fun?" 

"No not really." Nayeon let out a mirthless laugh, reaching for a squeegee. "Might swing by the grocery store but that's about it." 

They both are silent now, content to simply work. 

And it isn't until Nayeon actually _looks_ at the area she's cleaning does she noticed that she can't see her reflection anymore, rather, she can see the room inside.

"Ah, that's better." Dahyun lets out a long sigh beside her, referring to how the sun was now hidden behind a taller building, casting them into a cool, dark shadow. 

She wasn't _really_ listening though, too busy staring wide eyed at the inhabitant of the aforementioned room because they were actually really cute and- 

. They were . 

Their eyes lock momentarily and she's frozen as the woman's face turns bright red before quickly pulling the curtains shut. 

"." 

"Huh? What." 

Dahyun ask as she turns around from the opposite side to look at her, completely unaware. 

"N-nothing." 

Great. Now the woman probably thinks she's a . 

Just great.

-

(They stop for the day, mostly because they had finished that floor, but also because she couldn't stop thinking about how stupid she was).

//

It bothers her all night and by the time Dahyun and her were back at the hospital to finish the job, she pauses on the same floor as she's lowering the lift down.

"Uh, Nayeon didn't we finish this floor yesterday?" Dahyun asks in confusion. 

"Yeah, just, give me a minute." She steps away from the control panel to pull something from her pocket. 

"Hey, what are you doing..." 

Nayeon notices the curtains are drawn shut again, but still sticks the note onto the glass while securing it with masking tape. 

It only takes a minute, and she quickly moves back to lower them to the correct floor, all while trying to ignore the pointed look Dahyun was giving her. 

"You do know you can't leave there, right?" 

"Of course, I'll pick it up on our way back." 

"So," Dahyun drawled, looking at her expectantly, "you really aren't going to tell me what that was about?" 

"Why?" She deflected.

"If you tell me I'll work the entire shift without getting scared." 

"Okay, deal!"

And while Nayeon highly doubted that was possible she only sighed and began recounting the story to her. 

(It ends with Dahyun practically shaking from laughter. "Wow, why is that not surprising?" 

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean huh?")

When they finish for the day, the notes is still there and the blinds are still closed. 

She only frowns and rips the tape off. 

-

_Hey, this is the window washer from yesterday. I just wanted to apologize for freaking you out, I didn't mean to stare, honest. Sorry again,_

_\- Nayeon_

//

They don't return to the building again for nearly three weeks, working on a rotation. 

And it's not like her to get so attached so quickly, but she couldn't help the feeling of nerves that swelled within her as they stopped on the familiar floor.

"Someone's excited to see window girl again." Dahyun teased, while wringing a wet rag out. 

She doesn't pay the jest any mind though as she spots something taped from the opposite side the glass. With the cloudy weather, Nayeon could clearly see a note with something scrawled across it: 

_It’s alright, It’s my fault for leaving the blinds open._

_\- Mina_

“Mina.” She murmured, smile growing from receiving a response. 

“What was that?” Dahyun leaned over her shoulder. 

The blinds are still closed, but she can’t help but to stare at the small piece of paper that hung behind the glass. 

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Nayeon shook her head before grabbing a spray bottle and rag."

“Woah! You actually got a response?” 

-

It isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s enough for her be in good spirits for another three weeks. 

Nayeon isn’t even entirely sure why, it wasn’t like she knew _Mina_. 

(Aside from the fact that she was cute, especially when she was flustered). 

//

They go back another three weeks later with Nayeon hoping to see if there would be another note for her to find. 

“Oh? Looks like something is going on in there.” Dahyun says, leaning over the railing of the lift in an uncharacteristic show of courage. 

“What are you talking about?” 

Brows furrowed, she moves to stand next to Dahyun and stills. 

It’s _the_ floor- Mina’s floor- except this time her blinds are open and inside there are doctors and nurses, appearing frantic as they move around the bed. There are too many people for her to see, and she can’t hear anything through the double paned glass, so she just blinks as her heart squeezes in uncertainty. 

(It isn’t until Dahyun nudges her that she snaps out of her daze, though barely coherent enough to finish the job). 

-

“Hey, you alright?” Dahyun asks as they finish loading their equipment into the back of the conversion van. 

“Uh, yeah. Fine why?” She isn’t though, and as she shrugs on her coat she decides she doesn’t want to guess anymore. “Listen, you go back without me today okay? I’ll catch the train later.” 

“What? Where are you going?”

-

Nayeon actually isn’t sure why, but she finds herself taking the elevator up to the 56th floor. The walls are a sickly emerald green color and the warmth only serves to accentuate the strong smell of hand sanitizer and _who knows_ what else. 

Stepping slowly to the service desk, she waits for the nurse to put the phone down and tries to find out which room Mina was in. 

“Mina?” The nurse looked at her pointedly, waiting for something else. 

“Uh, I just know her first name, sorry.” 

“What is your relationship to the patient miss?”

“Uh, c-cousin.” 

“Cousin.”

“Like, four times removed, and we haven’t really spoken to each other in a long, long time. But, I heard she was here so…"

Her palms begin to sweat as she receives a look from the other, but somehow she must have been convincing enough because she finds out what she’d wanted to know. 

“Myoui Mina, room 107.”

“Thanks.” 

Quickly locating the room, she clutches the flowers she held and takes a breath before sliding the door open. 

“Hello?” She called out, bracing for the worse situation. 

“Yes?”

(She’s still holding onto the door when she hears the voice. It’s soft and she feels her own cheeks heating up as she sees Mina digging through a duffle). 

“H-hey.” 

“Oh? You are…”

“Ah, Nayeon, the- the window washer.”

“Oh.” 

They’re staring at each other and for a moment she regrets coming because now she’s made it ten times more awkward. 

“Uh,” Mina speaks again, “A-are those for me?”

“Yeah,” She steps further into the room and extends her hand towards the latter. “I hope you like them, I wasn’t sure what the protocol around here was.” 

Mina takes them from her and brings them to her face. “They’re lovely thank you-” 

“My pleasure.” 

“-But, um, why?” 

“I’’m sorry?”

“If this is for, before, it’s alright I wrote you a note.” 

“Oh, no. It’s just- well. Today, I- my co-worker- we both saw something happening and I thought…”

“Ah.” Mina’s face lights up in recognition. “You must have seen my roommate.” 

“Roommate?”

“Mm, they, unfortunately passed. Liver cancer.” 

“Oh.” 

“Sorry,” Mina let out a small laugh then, “where are my manners? Would you like to have a seat?”

She glanced at the padded recliner in the corner before shaking her head. “That’s alright, I just stopped by to drop those off really.” 

“Well,” Mina tilted her head at her, still smiling, “Thank you.” 

“N-no problem.” 

-

(Nayeon doesn’t go back to visit Mina again, but after three weeks she finds herself hanging outside the familiar window once more.

The room she see, is completely empty now, save for a few beds, and she takes that as a sign that Mina had been discharged.)

-

“Hey, there’s something on the windshield.” Dahyun noticed, wheeling the large cart behind them. 

“You’re right.” 

Usually, she’d immediately crumple any papers left between the windshield wipers, knowing they were most likely ads or flyers. But this time, she's intrigued by having to rip away the bright blue tape that held it in place. 

-

_(Nayeon,_

_Thanks for the flowers, if you ever have some free time, give me a call._

_xx-xxx-xxxx_

_\- Mina.)_


End file.
